Dissent Slows Racetrack Progress

Schedule Conflicts Under Review

September 19, 1996|By ALISON FREEHLING Daily Press

RICHMOND — ``Dissenting voices'' have forced a review of a requested thoroughbred racing schedule for next summer at the Colonial Downs racetrack, a lawyer told the Virginia Racing Commission on Wednesday.

``There were various pieces of the puzzle that turned out to be conflicting,'' said Jim Weinburg, a Colonial Downs attorney, who asked the commission to delay a vote on the proposed 40-day schedule.

That list, submitted to the commission Sept. 3, outlined a 10-week season, from June 15 to Aug. 23, with four days of live racing a week at the track in New Kent County.

Several sources said the disagreement is between Colonial Downs and Maryland track operator Joseph De Francis - who, through his Maryland Jockey Club, will manage the thoroughbred meet at Colonial Downs - over how to spread out the 40 days.

De Francis, who has agreed to shut down his Pimlico and Laurel Park tracks during Colonial Downs' thoroughbred season, reportedly wants a shorter meet of eight weeks, with five days of racing per week.

Colonial Downs would rather see four days of racing over 10 weeks, allowing for ``bigger fields of horses over fewer days,'' said Gil Short, the track's general manager.

Any revised schedule would be ready for consideration by the commission's October meeting, Weinburg said.

De Francis was in Richmond Wednesday to make a pitch to the commission for his own operator's license, which he said would help him have more control as manager of the track's thoroughbred season.

Commissioners took the matter under advisement, but some expressed confusion about why the license is needed in addition to the license already granted to Colonial Downs.

``I confess to some unease,'' said Chairman John Shenefield. ``Who else will apply and argue they're somehow conducting a meet?''

The license would be tied to the agreement between Colonial Downs and the Maryland Jockey Club and would be revoked if the deal falls through.

Jeffrey Jacobs, the Cleveland millionaire who now is principal owner of Colonial Downs, has said he does not support the deal, which has De Francis collecting 2 percent of all money bet at the track and off-track betting parlors.

But De Francis said he considers cooperation a necessity in light of recent changes in the horse-racing industry, pointing in particular to the proliferation of slot machines at racetracks.

The machines have been installed in Delaware, where they have pushed up racing purses dramatically, and are under consideration in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

``The trend in racing seems to be the strong get stronger and the weak - absent slot machines - get weaker,'' De Francis said.

Colonial Downs purses are planned to average no less than $150,000 for 28 days - about the level reported at Delaware Park - with $50,000 over the final 12 days. A proposed 50-day harness meet, with $50,000 in daily purses, would follow the thoroughbred season.

Colonial Downs plans to open the state's second off-track betting parlor in mid-November in Richmond. The first, in Chesapeake, opened in February.

PROGRESS

Colonial Downs officials this week made a $1.5 million deal for 840 tons of structural steel and other building materials for the racetrack's $7 million grandstand. Grandstand construction should begin in October, a track spokesman said. A $360,000 contract for earthwork around the grandstand also has been negotiated, meaning upcoming work will focus on clearing that site, as well as parking areas.